There is currently widespread use of methods and products, product samples, containers, or packaging that include interactive quick response or scannable codes linked to Internet Uniform (or Universal) Resource Locator (URL) for providing contact information, promotional or cross promotional product samples or products, containers, and/or packaging, where the product, product sample, container, or packaging has any type of associated scannable internet quick response URL code, quick response MS TAG or quick response QR Code that delivers interactive information, education and/or entertainment experience for the public, retailers or other entities when the product or package is scanned with a smart phone, internet tablet, computer, netbook, or other device. This type of technology and aspects of the current state of the related art are described, by way of example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,272,562 to Ziegler.
Information security with optical techniques has been widely investigated [1]-[14]. Many variations of random phase encoding for security and encryption have been proposed [15]-[31]. Optical techniques in security provide many advantages, including the ability to secure data with multi-dimensional keys, such as wavelength [3], polarization[4], and placing the keys in the Fresnel domain [5]. Recently, photon-counting imaging has been integrated with the double-random-phase encryption for optical security [25]. The motivation for using photon-counting is that the integration of photon-counting imaging generates an additional layer of complexity that enhances the security of the system against an attacker. Photon-counting creates a photon-limited encrypted image is very sparse compared with a conventional encrypted data. Unlike a conventional decryption system, when photon-counting is used, the decrypted data is not recognizable by visual inspection. As a result it is more robust to attacks because an attacker cannot recognize the decrypted image due to the sparse encrypted data.
In addition, photon-counting imaging follows the Poisson distribution which is a nonlinear transformation unlike the conventional double random phase encryption which is a linear encoding. The nonlinear transformation is also advantageous in making the system more robust against attacks.
Currently, it is not possible to see what is stored in the QR code prior to scanning the QR code. As the popularity of QR codes increases, there will be more focus on attacking or compromising QR codes. Many times, this may be done by storing a uniform resource locator (URL) that redirects the scanning device to a malicious website. The disclosed method and system allows for an image to be stored in a QR code and read without the need for internet access.
More particularly, it is currently possible for an attacker to duplicate a QR code placed on an object, store malicious information inside the QR code, and then replace the original QR code. Methods for authenticating a QR code have not been disclosed.
Currently, it is also not possible to insert an image into a QR code due to data size restrictions and the limited resolution of commercial Smartphones when scanning the QR code.
These and others limitations are addressed and overcome according to the present disclosure.